Public Access - data available for viewing but not easily redistributed. For example, copyrighted/proprietary data available online in PDF form.

Open Access - Machine readable data available without restrictions via public domain or CC0.

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Proprietary - Data in which ownership is claimed by an entity. Licenses include traditional copyright, where all rights are retained, Creative Commons and other similar licenses.

Public Domain - There is no ownership (i.e., no licenses) of data in the public domain, and anyone can use the data how they choose. While CC0 isn't public domain, its license offers the closest amounts of freedoms as possible in comparison to items in the public domain.

DOE Statement on Digital Data Management Statement.
The DOE's Office of Science began requiring a data management plan with all grant applications in October 2014. The agency notes that "Sharing and preserving data are central to protecting the integrity of science by facilitating validation of results and to advancing science...." However they note that "Not all data need to be shared or preserved. The costs and benefits of doing so should be considered in data management planning."

"In the DMP, researchers will propose their strategy(ies) to deposit Digital Data Sets resulting from DOT-funded Scientific Research in a repository that enables and allows for Public Access and sharing.... All Digital Data Sets subject to this plan will be inventoried in the DOT Public Data Listing, whether performed by intramural or extramural researchers."

"The purpose of CDC’s data release/sharing policy is to ensure that (1) CDC routinely provides data to its partners for appropriate public health purposes and (2) all data are released and/or shared as soon as feasible without compromising privacy concerns, federal and state confidentiality concerns, proprietary interests, national security interests, or law enforcement activities."

For grants over $500,000, a data sharing plan must be included in the grant application and incorporated as a term and condition of the award. Final Research Data "should be made as widely and freely available as possible while safeguarding the privacy of participants, and protecting confidential and proprietary data".

NASA Earth Science Statement on Data Management
"The data collected by NASA represent a significant public investment in research. NASA holds these data in a public trust to promote comprehensive, long-term Earth science research. Consequently, NASA developed policy consistent with existing international policies to maximize access to data and to keep user costs as low as possible. These policies apply to all data archived, maintained, distributed or produced by NASA data systems."

Office of Digital Humanities of NEH Data Management 2016
"You'll note that we have aligned our data management requirements with those of the National Science Foundation to enable you to take advantage of data management resources that your institution may have already developed for applying to the NSF.

NOAA’s plan for data builds on the agency’s existing strong foundation for research data sharing. Currently, all intramural researchers are required to submit a Data Management Plan (DMP) outlining plans for providing access to and long-term preservation of any research data, while extramural researchers are required to submit a more light-weight Data Sharing Plan, covering plans for access only. These requirements will be adjusted to require all NOAA programs to consider requiring full DMP’s when researchers apply for NOAA funding.

NSF DMP Requirements Library Guide
"[NSF] expects PIs to share with other researchers, at no more than incremental cost and within a reasonable time, the data, samples, physical collections and other supporting materials created or gathered in the course of the work." Researchers must describe how they will share their data in a written data management plan required in all grant applications since January 2011."

USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
The NIFA requires a DMP will all research. They state: "Increased access to scientific research results (e.g., scholarly publications, digital data sets) from NIFA funded projects is critical to achieving NIFA’s vision to catalyze transformative discoveries, education, and engagement to address agricultural challenges. Therefore, an appropriate data management plan (DMP) should be a core component of research planning for proposals submitted to NIFA."

To locate requirements for agencies not listed here, we recommend searching the web and specifying government websites in addition to your keywords. For example, "site:gov atmospheric radiation". This will help you find funders at local, state and national levels with data management expectations.

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Creative Commons Licences

CC0 - according to Creative Commons, is "a universal public domain dedication that may be used by anyone wishing to permanently surrender the copyright and database rights (where they exist) they may have in a work, thereby placing it as nearly as possible into the public domain."

It is recommended data be shared with a CC0 license.

Other CC licenses, where CC0 is not desired, can also be used for data and databases.

CC 3.0 versus 4.0: Improvements Between Licenses

4.0 is applicable sui generis database rights lie squarely within the licenses' scope, while 3.0 does not apply to datasets that do not implicate copyright

4.0 is more internationally enforceable

4.0 waives moral rights to the limited extent necessary to enable reuse in the manner intended

4.0 can be readily used in many places internationally without porting